Timo Tolkki Issues Symfonia Recording Update

Symfonia guitarist Timo Tolkki has posted the following update online, regarding the recording of the band's debut album:

"Me and André [Matos, vocals] have been here in the middle of a Swedish forest for a week recording vocals.

"We rented a cabin which is at a top of a hill with an amazing view.

"If the drumming studio was in the middle of nowhere, then this one is in the middle of that nowhere.

"Things are going smooth; we got a great vocal sound.

"Had to put some blankets on the wall to treat the place acoustically a bit.

"The cabin is slightly haunted; the owner told us that a man named Hans died here 80 years ago and can sometimes be seen around. So far we haven't seen him.

"Things got off to a bit difficult start because André has been singing with a certain piece of art right next to him since he left Angra. It is a famous painting by Salvador Dali called 'Madonna of Port Lligat'. So we had to FedEx that from Sao Paulo [Brazil] for him and that took some time.

"André is a massive Dali fan, so I understand this completely. Also he wants two cactuses and two other any kind of plants on the floor next to him where he is singing.

"Days are filled with writing and rewriting lyrics and recording vocals in a very nice atmosphere. Listening to Beethoven and analyzing it. We both are big fans.